For the past two days, Singapore’s very first Star Wars Day Festival has been in full swing at Gardens by the Bay. The three-day extravaganza celebrates the Star Wars Fandom and the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: A New Hope, and will culminate in the Star Wars Run Singapore 2017.
Being a huge Star Wars fan, I was so excited to be able to take part in the run, and it did not disappoint!
Both the 10km competitive run and the 5km Fun Run were completely sold out. As you can imagine, the flag-off point was packed! It made for a great atmosphere though, because we could see the glow of the Sabertrees in the distance. Best of all, before the first wave of runners set off we were treated to a fireworks show set to various familiar tunes from the franchise!
The run offers two different routes – the Light Side and the Dark Side. By the time I had registered for the run the Light Side was sold out so we opted for the Dark Side. However, we were the among the fourth wave of runners and by that point people were switching between the Light Side and the Dark Side. The Dark Side also seemed to have more people and was a bit jammed up as a result.
The Dark Side route went from Marina Bay Sands, past Gardens by the Bay and to the Marina Barrage. Along the way, we met Stormtroopers, TIE pilots, a number of Kylo Rens and other Jedis.
Honestly, we didn’t run much at all because we were too busy taking photos along the way. There was a great atmosphere throughout the run, from the dedicated fans in costumes and the cheerful event organisers. Even if you’re not a fan of the franchise, you’ll still be able to appreciate the lively energy of the run.
After the run, we headed over to The Meadow. Runners were entitled to a meet-and-greet with Kylo Ren and Chewbacca, as well as free entry to the silent disco. There was also a screening of The Force Awakens.
Earlier in the day, we stopped by the Supertree Grove to check out some other festival highlights. The area was packed with runners and fans. I spent way too long browsing all the fan art that was on sale, as well as the exhibits of vintage toys. There was a whole range of ages – plenty of excited children and equally excited parents. It made me really happy to think that the Star Wars franchise is something that can bridge the generations.
The Star Wars Festival was so much fun. Coming together with other fans and celebrating the love that we have for this franchise was an incredible feeling. I hope that Singapore will continue to get more Star Wars Runs!
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